The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-07
BROAD RIPPLE In THE BELT
ButNot Far Enough in TO Produce a
Great Natural-Gas Wonder or Gusher.
a Weak Flow is Found, but Further Drilling
Fails TO Develop It's Strength, and the
Company Is Not Encouraged.

The directors OF the indianapolis Natural-gas
Company for a time yesterday morning had the
best assurances that their Broad Ripple we'll
would yield large supply OF gas 1t has been
asserted frequently during the drilling at this
point that the promise Of gas greater there
than in any other locality of Marion county.
The surface indications, which, however. do not
amount to anything in the search of this great
product of nature. were popularity supposed to
be infallible, as they were similar to what have
been noted in the gas producing sections of the
State. They may have had something TO do
with the company's selection of Broad Ripple
as favorable prospecting point but the
strongest argument lay in the fact that
the Ripple in the so-called gas
belt. as then defined. Geological formations pc
luliar TO the place also aided the company IN
making its decision. The well begun short
ly after that at Bridgeport, and, although the
drill had less drift TO penetrate than at that
place, the South street we'll, which the
company had abandoned a short time before at
depth of 600 feet, the work was slow. Some
difficulty occurred in the sand. but through
that the drill worked satisfactorily into the lime
stone and shale The drill at one time stuck in
ehale but the delay did not cause the loss of
more than day. Since, the progress has been
uninterrupted.
The shale on Thursday showed some traces of
gas. It's odor could be detected, and at each ad
ditional foot the drill sunk the evidence that the
operators were in the right direction became
stronger. On this assurance, word went ont
night before last, that the drill was not far away
from Trenton rock, which would probably be
touched early Friday morning. In this, previous
experiments furnished guide, for no gas in
he State had been found under 900 feet. As
he Broad Ripple drill had gone but little more
han 800 feet, some doubt was expressed about
he assertion that Trenton rock was SO near But
Vt o'clock yesterday morning the gas odor was
10 strong that one could longer doubt that an
1our or two would bring the drill to the top of
Trenton.
AT 6:30 o'clock E. B. Martindale, Allen M.
Fletcher G. r. Root and others interested in the
management of the company were at the der
rick. About it were gathered many people of
The village, and although it had been raining and
the clouds threatened shower after shower the
spectators waited eagerly for the flow of gas
which they expected woald make certain a home
Iupply for Indianapolis. half hour before this
Trenton rock had been tapped. 1t of the
dark brown and porous order, indicative of the
presence or gas, and surely hopes
based ON the success of the experiment.
that the fever of speculation began to
disturb the Broad Ripple residents. Improve
nents OF gigantic character were talked of, and
estate ID
vance of values at which the property could have
been purchased day two ago. The sum-
ner attractions of the place gave way to the
probabilities of it's becoming manufacturing
senter Every body was ready TO run wild with
expectations. predictions and speculation. Lit
lie by little the drill went into the rock until
when between two and three feet down, gas
gushed out. but not with the strength antici-
pated. 1t did not go more than three feet above
the mouth of the pine The flow was touched
with a match, and for while the gas burned
vigorously
Within FIVE minutes the news was telephoned
10 the CITY, and by o'clock every body knew of
the discovery and had his theoretical additions
20 give the matter larger colorne. 1t was not an
inviting day for drive, for the clouds were
heavy with rain that came down every now and
hen in broad sheets or showers, but many peo-
Pile drove out to the Ripple during the morning
10 see what they had been told a gusher.
They augmented the crowd at the derrick to
three hundred or more. but the gas flowed I'M
der weak pressure. and the directors began to
regard it as hopeless investment as the drill
went down without yielding greater product
At 2:30 o'clock twelve feet of Trenton had been
penetrated, and the rock, instead of retaining it's
porosity and color, became whittier and whittier,
the traces of brown being at this depth about a
third of the surface of fragments that were
brought up
The directors were inclined to give up the ex-
pertinent, and talked about stopping the drill
when twenty feet more had been bored They
returned to the city at o'clock, but later in the
evening, at the Denison House, Mr. Martindale
learned from Mr.. Churchill, the contractor for
the well. that after the drillers had left the
favorable signs OF stronger flow of gas were
renewed. AT about o'clock the contractor said
that the gas shot up ten feet, and the drill then
was fifteen feet in the rock. But notwithstand-
Ing this favorable turn, but little con-
fdence is expressed in the we'll be-
Ing successful one until it is
shot. Even. then the probabilities do not favor
the securing of gas from it in paying quantities.
The well now is of about the force of that at
Brightwood, after il was shot The gas comes
through a pipe of So inches.
Work was continued through the night, but
the directors do not know what to do with the
well, although they will probably shoot il before
abandoning the experiment If it does not prove
valuable, then prospecting in that vicinity is
hkely to be stopped The drill, in reaching the
rock, passed through eighty feet of drift $50
feet of limestone, and after penetrating shale
touched the rock at $50 feet from the surface.
Owing TO the popular desire see a natural
gas we'll IN operation, another excursion will be
run to Noblesville tomorrow evening, by the
Ocean-wave Lime Company, leaving the Union
Depot at 3 o'clock. and returning at 1890
Major Wainwright has been paid quite a sum to
light his wonder" for this occasion. In return
ing the excursion will probably take in Broad
Ripple.
The Gas Field in General.